Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Archive for the ‘Space News’ Category

Over a dozen experiment proposals from scientists around the world have been shortlisted for possible flight onboard China’s future space station.

China Daily has reported that 18 ideas are being assessed, with the final result to be detailed in June.

According to government plans, China will start piecing together the country’s space station around 2020.

Zhou Jianping, chief designer of the nation’s manned space program in April, explained that the multi-module space station, named Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace, will comprise three main parts: a core module attached to two space labs, combining for a weight of 66 metric tons.

Call for partnership

Last May, the China Manned Space Agency, in collaboration with the United Nation’s Office for Outer Space Affairs issued the call for partnership opportunities on the station for scientists around the world.

By October, 42 applications from 27 countries had been submitted, with proposals extending across nine areas, including space medicine, space life science, and fundamental physics, the China Daily story explains.

An expert panel was formed by the UN office and China’s space agency to evaluate the candidates and pick the 18 to be shortlisted. Application teams are now working out a project implementation plan with China’s technical support.

Core module

China’s space station build-up will first see use of a Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket to orbit the outpost’s core module. About four crewed spaceflights will then be made sending astronauts to assemble the station.

The space station is expected to be fully operational around 2022 and is to operate for at least 10 years.

The China Daily also notes that, in 2024 the country’s orbiting complex may become the world’s only space station if the U.S. International Space Station is retired as planned.

Handbook

A version 1.0 handbook on the China Space Station (CSS) and its resources for international cooperation was issued May 28 of last year by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and China Manned Space Agency.

In many ways, China’s approach to space station operations mirror’s the fundamentals of the International Space Station – with some exceptions.

The 28-page document explains that the mission of the CSS project is:

To develop technology for long-term manned space flight and study related medical issues to find long-term solutions for the healthy living and efficient work of astronauts and lay the foundations for future exploration in long-term manned space flight;

To build a national space laboratory of an internationally advanced level for large-scale science and technology experiments, educative purposes and promote international/regional cooperation to study and uncover significant scientific results and benefits;

To establish a complete manned spacecraft operation and its corresponding operation and management systems, and to train a high-quality engineering and management team to lay the foundations for the future development of manned space exploration.

Inclination, altitude, weight

Other areas of the handbook call attention to some key facts:

The CSS is designed to operate in low-Earth orbit about 400km above the Earth’s surface, with an inclination of approximately 41°~43°.

The station’s three main module components are horizontally symmetrical and T-shaped. The total mass is approximately 66 tons, and may reach roughly 100 tons when docked with several manned spaceships and cargo vehicles.

In-orbit life span (after the assembly of the three modules) is in the range of 10 years. Number of crew members 3 (rated) or 6 astronauts (at most).

Optical Module System

Along with station, a main section of an Optical Module System would be launched into orbit separately and flies along the same orbit as the CSS.

This system can support multi-color photometry, seamless spectrum survey and Earth observation with multi-function optical capabilities.

If necessary, it can dock with the CSS for refueling, equipment maintenance, payload equipment upgrade and other maintenance activities.

Experiment racks

A number of scientific experiment racks in the pressurized modules of the Space Station include a Human System Research Rack; Medical Sample Analysis Rack;

Ecological life Experiment Rack; Biotechnology Experiment Rack; Fluid Physics Experiment Rack; Two-Phase System Experiment Rack; High Temperature Materials Science Experiment Rack; Combustion Science Experiment Rack; and a Container-Free Materials Science Experiment Rack.

Life span extension

The in-orbit assembly of the basic configuration of the three modules of the China Space Station is planned to be completed around 2022 when the station is operational and able to carry out large-scale space science research.

The life span of the Station can be further extended by maintenance, replacement, upgrading and expansion to enable longer term space science research. Primarily, extensible interfaces are reserved on the Space Station.

Extra modules

After completion of the basic configuration of the three modules, the inboard and outboard utilization support capabilities can be enhanced further by adding extra modules.

Secondly, outside the modules of the Space Station, many large-scale payload mounting points and extensible experiment platform interfaces are reserved, through which more payload support capability can be provided.

In addition, based on the need of space science research and international cooperation, the Space Station can meet the needs of evolving space science research through the maintenance, replacement and extension of payloads.

NOTE: The original United Nations/China Cooperation on Utilization of the China Space Station Application Form is available at:

http://www.unoosa.org/documents/doc/psa/hsti/CSS_1stAO/CSS_1stAO_ApplicationForm_2018.doc

To read the entire handbook, go to:

http://www.unoosa.org/documents/doc/psa/hsti/CSS_1stAO/CSS_1stAO_Handbook_2018.pdf

 

 

It is the combination of commercial activity and use of space resources that creates perception of tension.

Some groups have expressed concern over a perceived gap in the law that creates uncertainty.

Others have expressed concern that use of space resources might be conducted to benefit only a few companies and spacefaring nations.

Then there are those who argue that the activity is illegal until a binding international regime is put into place to oversee it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to this new paper published in Issues of Science and Technology — New Policies Needed to Advance Space Mining — VOL. XXXV, NO. 2, WINTER 2019 PERSPECTIVES.

Go to:

https://issues.org/new-policies-needed-to-advance-space-mining/

Also, go to this news story on the paper by Ailbhe Goodbody, published in Mining Magazine: “New space mining policy needed, says Colorado School of Mines,” at:

https://www.miningmagazine.com/exploration/news/1357071/new-space-mining-policy-needed-says-colorado-school-of-mines

 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Hayabusa2 asteroid explorer successfully and safely touched down upon Ryugu on February 21^st.

Data relayed from the spacecraft confirmed the touchdown, including projectile firing into the space rock for sample collection.

Hayabusa2 then executed a maneuver to place it some distance from Ryugu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the beginning

Back here on Earth, SpaceX successfully hurled SpaceIL’s lunar spacecraft Beresheet (Hebrew for “in the beginning”), on a two-month trek to the Moon.

Israel’s Beresheet is en route to a near-side landing on the Moon in mid-April. If successful, the craft’s landing would be the first non-government lunar touchdown. It was built by Israeli nonprofit space venture SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), along with financial contributions from private donors.

Now outward bound, it’s the smallest spacecraft to ever attempt to land on the Moon, at only 1,322 lbs, or 600 kilograms. Its mission is to transmit photos and video of its new home and conduct scientific measurements.

First orbit around Earth

As of Friday morning, the spacecraft was 69,400 km above Earth, and is starting its way back to begin its first orbit around Earth.

In a statement released today, engineers at the SpaceIL and IAI control room have been conducting many in-orbit tests, and have identified high sensitivity to blinding by the sun’s rays in the star trackers, though this issue is being checked.

On Sunday the spacecraft is expected to conduct its first maneuver around Earth.

 

 

The NASA InSight Mars landing site is a busy place.

The German-supplied Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) is at the end of its deployment phase. A camera on InSight’s robotic arm has been inspecting the placement of HP3 and its engineering tether – the cable running to the lander.

Upcoming is the firing of the frangibolts that will release the“mole” It weighs a little over 6.5 pounds (about 3 kilograms) and will hammer itself under the surface of Mars.

Mole command

If successfully released, the mole will be commanded to begin hammering next Tuesday, reports principal investigator Tilman Spohn from the German Aerospace Center’s  (DLR) Institute of Planetary Research in Berlin.

“This will be the moment we all look forward to, the first 70 centimeter depth on Mars for the mole! Although we have tested the mole extensively and diligently, there remains an uncertainty,” Spohn adds. This has never been done before on Mars or on another terrestrial planet.

“Sure, the Apollo astronauts have drilled to about 3 meters on the Moon. But theirs was not a robotic mission,”Spohn says.

Taking the temperature

HP3 is designed to burrow down beneath the Red Planet’s topside — with its tether embedded with heat sensors — to a depth of 16 feet (five meters). The HP3 is slated to plow deeper than any previous arms, scoops, drills or probes before it.

HP3 can take Mars’ temperature to reveal how much heat is still flowing out of the interior of the planet.

The DLR HP3 heat flow probe has the mole pulling a ribbon cable equipped with 14 temperature sensors behind it. Once the probe has reached its target depth, the temperature will be measured by all of the sensors every 15 minutes for several months.

HP³ is now in a stable position approximately 5 feet (1.5 meters) from the lander and the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) and HP³ are roughly 3 feet (one meter) apart.

 

 

Japan’s Hayabusa2 project to explore asteroid Ryugu is approaching the time for touchdown this Friday.

The team has just released images from last month’s BOX-B operation – where the spacecraft’s distance from the surface is kept at about 12 miles (20 kilometers).

That operation also has Hayabusa2 move in a north-south and east-west direction to observe the space rock from different angles.

 

 

 

Northern hemisphere

This was the first time the team captured images of the northern hemisphere of Ryugu. By acquiring data on the equatorial region of Ryugu, the southern and northern hemisphere an accurate global shape model for Ryugu can be created.

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is now wrapping up Sol 2325 duties.

Last posted imagery taken Feb. 14-15 comes from Sol 2320 and includes these photos:

A recent Falcon 9 booster static fire test was successful and launch as a secondary payload is Israel’s shoot for the Moon payload, scheduled for this Thursday evening!

Israel’s SpaceIL mission to northeast Serenitatis is the continuation of an international effort “forward to the Moon, to stay!”

Oded Aharonson heads the science team and a description of the mission science can be found here at:

https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2019/pdf/2290.pdf

 

 

New research points to geological evidence supporting a planet‐wide groundwater upwelling on Mars.

This newly recognized evidence of water‐formed features significantly increases the chance that biosignatures could be buried in the sediment. These deep basins (groundwater‐fed lakes) will be of interest to future exploration missions as they might provide evidence of geological conditions suitable for life.

These views are contained in the paper — Geological Evidence of Planet‐Wide Groundwater System on Mars – published in the American Geophysical Union’s Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.

 

 

Deep closed basins

Most previous studies on Mars relevant groundwater have proposed models, but few have looked at the geological evidence of groundwater upwelling in deep closed basins in the northern hemisphere equatorial region, the paper explains.

Observations in the northern hemisphere show evidence of a planet‐wide groundwater system on Mars.

The elevations of these water‐related morphologies in all studied basins lie within the same narrow range of depths below Mars datum and notably coincide with the elevation of some ocean shorelines proposed by previous authors. The term called “Mars datum surface” refers to the average elevation on Mars.

 

Interconnected?

The research, led by Francesco Salese of the Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands suggests that subsurface aquifers in all basins might be interconnected.

“Nevertheless, the evidence obtained from this work is not enough to affirm with certainty the interbasins connection,” Salese and colleagues explain. “Our observations show that the extent of this aquifer is very significant and it leads us to support the thesis that it could have been planet wide.”

To review the paper — Geological Evidence of Planet‐Wide Groundwater System on Mars – go to:

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2018JE005802

 

The Gateway Foundation has issued an informative and eye-catching look at a future vision.

Published on Feb 15, 2019, the video showcases the Von Braun rotating space station – the first commercial space construction project in history.

 

 

It will be serviced by the SpaceX Starship and be designed to accommodate national space agency laboratories, billionaires who want to own property in space, and space tourists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to video at:

https://youtu.be/vTNP01Sg-Ss

For more information on the Gateway Foundation, go to:

https://gatewayspaceport.com/

 

Japan’s Hayabusa2 team reports that the surface of asteroid Ryugu was not what they expected.

Because of this on-the-spot finding, the spacecraft sampler team carried out an experiment to see if Hayabusa2 could still gather material from the asteroid’s surface when they attempt the probe’s touchdown this Friday.

Final test

Late last year, the sampler team conducted a final test before touchdown, firing an identical bullet to that onboard Hayabusa2 into a simulated soil of the surface of space rock Ryugu. The test evaluated how much sample would be ejected after the bullet’s impact.

Hayabusa2 operators expected the topography of the asteroid would be a powdery fine regolith. That was not found on the surface of Ryugu.

Rather, centimeter-sized or larger gravel was observed by the MASCOT and MINERVA-II1 rovers that landed on the asteroid surface.

 Artificial gravel

“This is quite different from the prediction before launch, so it took time to investigate the safety of the spacecraft during touchdown. Additionally, it was necessary to review whether sample material would still be released from the asteroid surface as originally assumed,” as reported by a new Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hayabusa2 twitter posting.

Artificial gravel was prepared in collaboration with Professor Hideaki Miyamoto at the University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Engineering. By simulating properties such as strength, density and composition, Hayabusa2 researchers replicated a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite, which is regarded as fragments of C-type asteroids similar to Ryugu.

The target was formed by stacking up the artificial gravel with a similar size distribution as that observed on the surface of Ryugu based on images from the landers.

Collided like billiards

Experiment results show that the fragments of gravel that were crushed by the bullet were released into the surrounding gravel where they collided like billiards to break up the material.

The resulting sample amount exceeded the initial assumption that would be released from the surface.

While the diameter of the collision site (crater) made by the impact of the projectile is smaller in comparison to that in a fine regolith layer, it was a sufficient size in comparison with the inner diameter of the open tip of the sampler horn, the team reports.

High-speed camera

Although the experiment was carried out in the Earth’s gravity, the images from a high-speed camera revealed that fragments of crushed powdery gravel can pass through the collection horn.

At the target asteroid, under microgravity, even more samples are expected to be introduced into the sampler horn, “meaning that if we land on a terrain similar to the simulated target, we can sample the surface of Ryugu,” the team adds.

“With test results obtained that exceeded expectation,” the twitter posting notes, “the sampler team celebrated for a good new year.”

To view the high-speed camera results, go to: